Culture Minister Owen Bonnici has said that information on the funds to run the popular British reality show Love Island in Malta is of a confidential nature.

Bonnici was asked a parliamentary question by PN MP Graham Bencini, who raised questions about how the national broadcaster PBS was going to find the necessary funds to run the programme.

Bencini said that Love Island cost the British television station ITV, £12 million in total. He asked the minister what PBS will do to find the necessary funds when it is evident that it cannot sell enough advertisements in a month which would cover a similar cost.

Bencini also asked Bonnici if he can provide reassurance that taxpayers' money would not be used for the programme, since PBS could not keep certain programmes, such as Xarabank and others, running on air.

Bonnici replied that the requested information is confidential.